Cochran flies the flag

A Confederate battle flag flies in front of a memorial in downtown Cochran. The flag will continue to fly at the Cochran municipal building despite complaints to the town's leaders. The City Council split 3-3 on whether to remove the flag, and Mayor Charles Killebrew cast the deciding vote Thursday to keep the flag raised on city property.

"For the time being, we're going to keep it up," Killebrew said. The flag was erected last year next to a 1910 monument to Confederate soldiers that stands in front of the city's chamber of commerce. The Sons of Confederate Veterans did not get permission to raise the flag on city property, where it is currently padlocked in place near a Confederate memorial. "This is not the end of it," said Doris Harris, president of the local NAACP chapter. "We're going to go back to the drawing board. ... You will hear from us later."